Charles l



(No Model.)

0. L. HEISLER. BOOT TREEING MAGHINE.

No. 512,193. Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

W WITNESSES INVENITOH 2. M. By

A TTORNEK/ CHARLES L. HEISLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOROF TWO-THIRDS TO HUGO KRANZ AND HENRY ALETTER, OF BERLIN,

CANADA.

BOOT-TREEING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,193, dated January2, 1894.

Application filed February 4, 1893. Serial No. 461,017- (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. HEISLER, residing at Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Boot-Treeing Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to boot-treeing machines, and more especially toimprovements in such machines, which are adapted for operatingboot-trees or lasts in the manufacture of boots, stockings, &c., fromfelt, wool, or similar'plastic or semi-plastic materials.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an improvedmachine for operating a folding last in such a manner that the mitten orblank form for the boot, stocking, or other device placed upon it,having been reviously made plastic or pliable by steaming or otherwise,can be drawn tightly over the tree, and this drawing action can be madeto continue throughout the operation of crimping the boot or stockingthus avoiding the formation of wrinkles in the finished article.

My invention consists in the various features of construction,arrangement, and mode of operation set forth more particularlyhereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a crimping machine,embodying my invention showing the last and boot crimped and ready to beremoved from the machine. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the machineshowing in a side, sectional view the last and boot just after beingplaced in position on the machine for crimping. Fig. 3, is a transversesectional view on the lines xw, Fig. 2 in the direction of the darts.

Heretofore great difficulty has been experienced in shaping the mittenorblank for a boot or stocking because of the slipping of the mitten alongthe last toward the toe,while the crimping operation is being performedto produce the proper shaping of the heel and foot. The boot or stockingwhen formed was liable to have wrinkles across the instep, and theremight be an excess of material in the toe of the stocking or bootresulting from this slipping. It is with the object of overcoming thesedifficulties that my present invention is made, and it is found that thefinished articles are smooth and well shaped corresponding to the formof the tree, and all slipping or liability to mis-sh'ape the article isavoided.

In carrying out my invention any suitable lastL may be employed. Thelast illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is of that type in whichthefoot piece is made to revolve about a pivot located near the instepby means of a hooked-sector engaging with the front leg section in sucha manner as to cause suitable links within the last to operate andstretch the leg sections, and at the same time to compel the footsection to assume its normal shape with respect to that of a finishedboot, which last forms the subject of my prior application, Serial No.417,373, filed January 8, 1892, and need not be described herein indetail, it being sufficient to state in general terms that it consistsessentially of the front leg section 33, a back leg section made up oftwo pieces 35 and 36 sliding on each other, a foot piece made up insections 37, 38 and 39, connected to the leg sections, the parts beingconnected by suitable links and levers 31, 32' and 38 whereby the legpieces can be expanded, and the foot piece operated to properly shapethe boot or stocking. The parts when expanded are locked in position bythe dog 30 entering a notch 29 in one of the back sections of the last,as more fully set forth in my prior application, to which reference ismade for a further detailed description of the construction.

The last in its collapsed condition with the mitten 34 placed thereon ismounted upon some suitable support to be operated, and I have shown abench or platform having operating mechanism attached thereto,substantially as hereinafter set forth.

In order to prevent the slipping of the mitten on the last, and theformation of wrin kles, I arrange suitable clamps which engage with theexterior surface of the mitten on the last outside the leg sections, andwhich are caused to operate in such a way as to press upon and draw theplastic material surroundtoo ing the last toward the top or leg endthereof, thus causing the material of the mitten to pull tightly at thetoe, and to take up any loose stock which tends to accumulate at or nearthe instep, so that a perfect shape boot or stocking will be formed.

Mounted upon a bench 1, is a suitable gear frame 2, supporting a pinion21, and a hookedsector 22, which latter is provided with a hook 23,arranged to engage the front section 33 of the last in the manner shown.This sector and gear can be operated in any manner, and I have shown alever 20 having a counter-weight 3 connected to the shaft of the pinion.Mounted on the bench is a vertical standard 6, the upper end of which isshown as formed like an. inverted U, and connected to this standard andthe gear frame is a stay or stays 5, which tend to support the standardin its vertical position. It will be readily understood that otherarrangements of the standards can be used, but this I find is veryconvenient, allowing freedom of access to the parts, and is simple andcheap in construction.

Upon the standard 6 are pivotally mounted an arm or arms 11, which areshown as connected at one end by a suitable handle 12, and provided atthe other with a counterweight 4. Mounted in the bearing 28, is a rod 26arranged to slide freely through an openingin said bearing, andsurrounding said rod is a spring 24, adj ustably arranged thereon, whileto the end of the rod is pivoted a clamp 27. Connected to this clamp isa link or links 13, which are provided with a series of holes, and bymeans of which they are adjustably connected with the arms 11.

Mounted on a suitable support 9, attached to the bench is a pivoted dog10, controlled in. the present instance by a spring 8, and arranged toengage with the arms 11, and hold them in the position shown in Fig. 1;also mounted on the bench in any suitable position, as on the brace 15,is a rod 16 provided with a suitable adjustable spring, and carrying thelower clamp 17, and connected to this clamp, and adj ustably connectedto the bench as to the lower toe bar 19, are the links 14.

The sector hook 23, is shown as located as near the axis of the sector22 as practicable, in

order to get sufficient motion on the front section of the last toexpand it, and the lower section 35 bears against the lower edge of thesector plate, so that when the sector and hook are operated, the lastdoes not of itself have a longitudinal movement toward the sector plate,but the parts are expanded laterally, and the foot parts properlyoperated.

In operating the device, the parts being arranged substantially asindicated in Fig. 2, the mitten or blank 34 being slipped over theclosed last, the last is placed between the upper and lower clamps, withthe sector hook engaging the front section of the last, the last beingsupported mainly by the lower clamp 17. The operating arm is thenbrought down in the direction of the dart a, until it engages the dog10, and it will be seen that in this operation, the springs on theclamping rods will yield to some extent, while the clamps under theaction of the links 13 and 14 will take the direction indicated by thedart b, and by their slidingaction draw the mittentightly upon the last.The lever 20 is then operated, actuating the sector hook to cause anexpansion of the sides of the last and shaping of the foot pieces, andit will be seen that as the last expands, the clamps yielding under theaction of springs, but being held by the links 13, 14, will further bemoved in the direction of the darts b, 0, caused by the spreading of theleg sections, and will still further tend to draw or stretch the mitten,and prevent any slack or wrinkle at the instep, or other portion of theboot or stocking. When this operation is completed, the dog 30 engagesthe notch 29, and the parts are in the position substantially asindicated in Fig. 1, where the last locked in its stretchedcondition,and can be removed for the purpose ofdrying.

It will be seen that the parts are made adjustable, the links and barsbeing provided with a series of holes for this purpose, although ofcourse it is evident other adjusting means may be applied.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferredmeans of carrying out my invention, I do not limit myself to the precisemechanism for actuating the clamps as it is evident that-the details ofconstruction and arrangement may be varied without departing from theprinciples of my invention, and the same results be accomplished. v

What I claim is 1. In a boot treeing machine, the combination with acollapsible last supporting the mitten; of a clamp or clamps engagingthe exterior surface of the mitten and bearing against the last, therebyclamping the mitten between the last and clamp or clamps, substantiallyas described.

2. In a boot treeing machine, the combination with a collapsible lastsupporting the mitten; of a clamp or clamps engaging the exteriorsurface of the mitten and bearing directly against the last, and meansfor actuating said clamp or clamps, substantially as described.

3. In a boot treeing machine, the combination with a collapsible lastsupporting the mitten; of means for expanding the last, and a clamp orclamps engaging the exterior surface of the mitten and bearing directlyagainst the last, substantially as described.

4. In a boot treeing machine, the combination with a collapsible last;of means for expanding the last, a clamp or clamps engaging the exteriorsurface of the mitten on the last and bearing directly against the last,and mechanism for moving the clamps to stretch the mitten, substantiallyas described.

5. In a boot-treeing machine, the combination with a collapsible last,of a hooked-sector for expanding the last, clamps bearing on the mittenoutside the last, and mechanism for causing the clamps to stretch themitten as the last is expanded, substantially as described.

6. In a boot-treeing machine, the combination with a collapsible last,of a spring supported clamp bearing on the last and an op erating armconnected by links to the clamp, substantially as described.

7. In a boot-treeing machine, the combination with a collapsible last,of a spring actuated clamp supporting the last, and a link connectingthe clamp to the frame of the machine, substantially as described.

